heads

American

[hedz] / hɛdz /

adjective

(of a coin) with the top, or obverse, facing up.

On the first toss, the coin came up heads.

heads British

/ hɛdz /

interjection

with the obverse side of a coin uppermost, esp if it has a head on it: used as a call before tossing a coin Compare tails
informal people in authority

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of heads

First recorded in 1675–85; head + -s ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Honestly, sometimes the smell is so strong that it can still seep through the N95 masks. It hurts our throat and heads," Delos Reyes told visiting AFP reporters on Thursday.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

The proposal, which was also signed by Councilmember Ysabel Jurado, now heads to the council’s rules committee for consideration.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

"We know where our issues are so we're not scratching our heads."

From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026

Mini robot dogs with Musk and Bezos heads roam a Berlin museum.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026

We also marched past a section of the men’s camp, many of our group straining to identify a husband or a son among the ranks of shaved heads and striped overalls.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023